


You want my help with what?

by pennysparrow



Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen, M/M, Modern Era, dc comics mentioned, krypto the superdog specifically, so i've fallen hard into the newsies fandom and dragged my friends down with me, the newsies get a puppy is what this is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-26
Updated: 2018-02-26
Packaged: 2019-03-24 06:52:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13805799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pennysparrow/pseuds/pennysparrow
Summary: A puppy is found on the street and promptly adopted by all the newsies.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SuperBatgirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SuperBatgirl/gifts).



> This is my first fic(s cause I posted them separately on tumblr) for newsies so please be kind. I really only decided to post it here because I like the writing style I used.

Spot put up with a lot from Race and his roommates. For some reason whenever they got themselves into trouble they would call him to come and bail them out. He guessed it was because Davey and Katherine would lecture them and Crutchie would let them stew in their mess for a little longer before informing Katherine or Davey that they needed help, again resulting in a lecture. Although, once they inevitably let the story slip after Spot saved their butts they still got lectured so he really didn’t see the point.

Regardless, he was now standing in their living room frowning down at an admittedly adorable yellow lab puppy. Spot wasn’t exactly frowning at the puppy itself, darn thing was downright cute, as the fact that somehow the puppy was now his responsibility.

“Race, how’d ya end up with a dog if you know dogs aren’t allowed in your building?” He looked up to address the taller boy.

Race grinned sheepishly and rubbed at the back of his head. “Well you see. Jack found him and he and Crutchie can’t keep him cause Davey would throw a fit so we had to get the little guy out of their apartment before he found out and Albert thought we could bring him here but then he peed on the carpet and started barking and now our neighbors are threatening to call the building supervisor… We just need some place for him to stay until we can fill out the proper paperwork.”

Spot raised an eyebrow at the pout and puppy dog eyes he was being given by the boy and not the puppy before glancing pointedly behind Race to where Albert was furiously trying to clean the carpet. With a heavy sigh Spot knelt down to pet the puppy. “Course this is Kelly’s fault,” he muttered darkly.

The dog wagged his tail and eagerly began nipping at Spot’s fingers. “So you’ll take him?” Albert asked hopefully, carrying a pile of paper towels towards the kitchen.

“I didn’t say that,” Spot shot him a glare. Albert only shrugged and went back to washing his hands. Prolonged exposure to his boyfriend’s roommates meant they were slowly becoming immune to his threats. Even if they were empty ones.

That’s when the door burst open and Finch nearly fell through, carrying a bag of kibble in one arm with more bags looped around his wrist. His other hand was still pulling his keys from the lock in the door. “I’ve got supplies!” he called into the small apartment.

Spot grabbed the dog to keep him from bolting out the door. The poor thing felt like more skin and fur than anything else; he’d obviously been living on the street and was too young to grow into his clumsy paws as he nearly tripped over himself to wiggle out of Spot’s grip. He scooped the little guy up and went to sit on the couch.

“Did Jack and Crutchie give him a bath?” he asked, settling the puppy on his lap.

“Yep!” Race popped the ‘p’ and flopped down next to Spot. He reached over and began scratching the dog behind his ears. Finch had dumped the bags at the door and now came over to pet the puppy too, meanwhile Albert was on the phone with one of their neighbors.

“And what exactly were they thinking when they found him?” Spot glanced at Race out of the corner of his eye, keeping most of his attention focused on the dog currently sitting in his lap.

“That he was cute and sad and needed help,” Finch supplied as he rose from where he had been crouched in front of Spot petting the puppy. He twirled his keys between his fingers as he lowered himself into one of the old arm chairs that the three boys had rescued from the thrift store.

“And we’ve been talking about getting a dog. We just have to get the ok from the landlady and fill out some forms,” Race chimed in, already anticipating where Spot was going with his line of questioning.

Before Spot could fire back with a “since when” Albert walked in and sat himself down at Spot’s feet.

“She’ll come drop the paperwork off tomorrow so we can ‘get started on the process’,” Albert used air quotes as he mocked their landlady.

“See! You’ll only need to keep him for a couple days. A week at most,” Race was giving him that pleading look again and Spot was tempted to inform the other boy that he still hadn’t agreed to take the puppy and that they were just being given paperwork, not an ok to have the dog. Race’s face looked like a kid’s on Christmas and he really didn’t want to crush that. At least not yet.

“Why do _I_ have to keep him?” Spot asked. He swatted Albert’s hands away as the redhead had been slowly luring the puppy closer to Spot’s knees and the last thing they needed was the little guy falling off his lap and hurting himself.

“Cause your roommates are too scared of ya to say no,” Finch smirked up from the Rubik’s Cube he’d been fidgeting with, one of many the three nerds had scattered throughout the apartment. Spot glowered and lightly kicked Albert in the knee when he snorted. Race was biting his lip, valiantly trying to keep from laughing.

“And you live in one of those hipster warehouses turned apartments. You’ve got the space and only a downstairs neighbor,” Albert added, now taking pictures of the puppy on Spot’s lap on his phone and presumably sending them to Jack.

“Just cause I’m from Brooklyn doesn’t mean I’m a hipster. I lived there before the gentrification,” Spot said bitterly and he could feel Race laughing next to him. “Why didn’t you ask Kath? She’s in that fancy brownstone with her parents, no landladies to worry about.”

“You said it yourself. Do you really think that Katherine’s dad would let her keep a puppy? Especially one that Jack Kelly picked up off the streets of Lower Manhattan?” Racetrack raised an eyebrow pointedly and Spot frowned, the answer was no.

Spot picked the puppy up and held him so that they were face to face. The dog leaned forward and licked Spot’s nose, causing his lips to twitch upward. “If you’re keeping him you need to name him. I refuse to keep mentally referring to him as ‘the little guy’.”

Race narrowed his eyes at Spot, obviously unsure where exactly this conversation was going. “Well we’ve only had him for a few hours. Hadn’t really had the time to pick out a name.”

“Oh, but you had the time to take and post a million and a half pictures and let him pee on the carpet?” Spot shot back, giving Albert and his phone a pointed look.

“He’s a puppy!” Albert argued, as if that explained everything. While Spot would never admit it, it kinda did.

“Well I was thinking we could name him Krypto,” Finch said as he managed to solve a side of the Rubik’s Cube.

Race’s whole face lit up as he turned and scooped the dog off Spot’s lap and into his own. “Yes! Krypto! It’s perfect!”

“Don’t I get a say? He’s a third my dog too. I cleaned up the carpet,” Albert frowned at Racetrack who was now vigorously giving the puppy a belly rub.

“Al, you’re the one who actually _reads_ comics outta the three of us,” Finch said. His nose had scrunched up into an incredulous expression. Spot snorted at the offended look on Albert’s face.

“So? I’d still like a say in what we name our pet!”

“So do you not want to name him Krypto?” Race asked.

“Course I want to name him Krypto! I just would like to be able to give my opinion,” Albert folded his arms smugly.

Spot couldn’t help but roll his eyes. How he ended up friends with the most dramatic group of people in New York City he didn’t know. And Jack only helped Medda with her sets on the weekends so none of them even had an excuse.

“You’re honestly expecting me to say ‘oh this is my boyfriend’s dog Krypto’ when I take him for a walk? I’ve got a reputation to uphold Higgins,” Spot scowled but he could feel his lips betraying him and twisting up into a smirk.

“Well maybe ya should’ve thought of that before agreeing to date an utter nerd like myself,” Race snarked, cuddling Krypto closer to his chest. Spot gave him another second for the full implication of the statement to sink in. His eyes widened, and a grin split his face once they did. “Wait, that mean you’ll take him?”

“Only ‘til you get the ok from your landlady. And you three are paying for all the kibble and carpet cleaning expenses.”

“Yes!” Race celebrated, lifting Krypto into the air where he proceeded to try and wiggle free.

“Deal. And if you can manage to potty train him for us too Spot then I’d be eternally grateful,” Albert said with a smile.

“You’d also be eternally owing me money,” Spot shot back. Albert’s grin slipped as he considered the pros and cons of owing Spot Conlon money and having a dog trained by Spot.

Finch rose to his feet and walked over to shake Spot’s hand. “Thanks man, we really owe ya. I’ve still got the leashes and toys and all in the bags. I can help you carry them.” Finch was already moving towards the front hall where the bags sat.

“Nah, I’ll help Spot,” Race said, but Finch just kept digging through the bags. “Finch, I said I’d take Krypto to Brooklyn with Spot,” Race called a little louder.

“I know, still wanted to get his collar out for him,” Finch smiled, holding the collar behind his back as he walked back to the couch. With a flourish he presented it to the rest of them and Spot couldn’t help but groan.

It was a blue collar with the red and yellow Superman S repeatedly emblazoned on it. Race and Albert started cracking up and Finch picked up Krypto and settled the two of them on the floor. He carefully clipped and then adjusted the collar so it fit properly around Krypto’s little neck before letting him run off under their coffee table and then around the back of couch before disappearing into Albert’s room.

“Uh uh, nope! Krypto! That’s not puppy proofed yet!” Albert called as he scrambled to his feet, Finch cackling.

Next to him Race was nearly doubled over he was laughing so hard, whether at the con Finch had managed to pull on them or at Albert’s panic Spot couldn’t tell. Regardless, Race was now leaning heavily on him.

“You’re such nerds,” Spot grumbled.

Race took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes. “But you love us,” he said with a smile.

Spot narrowed his eyes. “I love you, I put up with your roommates.” That only sent Race into another round of laughter.


	2. Chapter 2

“ _Pleeeeease_ Katherine?” Race whined in her ear. “Spot got called in to cover a shift last minute and I’ve really gotta go to office hours and Albo’s at class and Finch’s at lab and–”

“Ok!” Katherine laughed into her phone, shaking her head at the very confused Jacobs siblings sitting across the table from her. She tilted her head back and stared at the exposed beams in the ceiling of the small coffee shop. “You owe me big time though. And the next time that this happens you swear to me that Jack is at the top of the phone tree. He’s the one who found him anyway.”

“Well technically it was Crutchie but yeah. Anything you want Kath, it’s yours,” Racetrack sounded earnest and she finally realized how panicked the boy had been.

She started cleaning up her empty muffin plate and grabbing her coat. “I’m on my way to your place now.”

“Actually, can you meet me? I really need to get my ass to campus. I’ve got Krypto and treats and poop bags and all.”

“Sure, Race. And deep breaths, you’ll get there on time,” Kath assured him. Davey and Sarah had been having a silent conversation speculating which of the boys Katherine was bailing out now. They’d risen from their seats too and were following her to return their dishes. The afternoon had started with them talking about a paper for a class they were all in together and had turned into a mutually agreed break and distraction from school. Now more than used to the antics of their rowdy group of friends, Sarah and David would be joining Kath on whatever adventure she had gotten roped into; no questions asked.

Kath pulled the pen from behind her ear and scribbled the address Race rattled off onto her hand as she pushed her way out the door. She gave him some more reassurances before hanging up and slipping the phone into her pocket. Katherine turned on the sidewalk, reading the address she had just written down and trying to reorient herself in the bustling city.

“And who’s ass are we saving now?” Sarah asked, a half smile pulling at her lips as she and David watched Kath pick a direction to start marching off in.

“The cutest puppy in all of New York,” Kath replied with a smile.

“Oh Les is going to hate us,” Davey laughed as they began walking.

While eternally grateful that his two roommates knew better than trying to keep the dog at their apartment Davey had to admit that the little guy had made a home in his heart. Even if Spot did spoil him rotten and Race, Albert, and Finch had given him the nerdiest name and taught him the most ridiculous tricks. There were sketches of Krypto littering their apartment courtesy of Jack and David had about a million more pictures of his own on his phone.

And Les? When he’d found out that his siblings’ friends had adopted a puppy Davey couldn’t seem to keep his brother from visiting him. Not that it was a bad thing, but Davey’s current apartment was only three stops away from home. The only reason he didn’t still live with his parents like Sarah was because Jack and Crutchie really needed another roommate after Blink had moved in with Mush and thanks to his scholarships and job he could afford the third of the monthly rent with them.

“Well text him, it’s not like you can have too many people watching a dog,” Kath said as they crossed the street towards the dog park near campus where Race was waiting for them.

Sarah shook her head and pushed David’s phone back towards his pocket. “He’s got jazz band after school today.”

“Since when?” Davey asked. They were nearing the park and could see Race waving frantically at them, Krypto’s bright red leash clasped in his other hand.

“Since the lead trumpet is really pretty and he’s trying to impress her so he talked the director into letting him play miscellaneous percussion since Mom won’t let him learn set,” Sarah bit her lip as she tried not to laugh and Kath couldn’t help but snort.

“I’m going to have to go to some high school jazz competition just to watch my little brother play tambourine, aren’t I?” David sighed.

“Says the boy who has gone to every one of our friends’ research presentation days, recitals, concerts, shows, debates, gallery openings, has read all of my articles…” Kath trailed off and shot him a smug grin over her shoulder.

“Busted,” Sarah sing-songed. She shouldered past him to greet Race and Krypto first, bending down to let the puppy jump onto her knees and lick her face. Above her Race was thanking them and handing the leash and supplies off to Kath as he promised to pay them back for this and then he was gone. Sarah was still crouched down petting Krypto and Davey appeared next to her.

“Do you regret not letting Crutchie and Jack keep him?” She asked her brother as Krypto’s attention shifted to him.

“Us keeping him was never an option and they knew that. He was bathed in our tub and then promptly shipped off to Albert, Finch, and Race,” Davey laughed as Krypto tried to nibble his nose.

“Still,” Sarah prodded, seeing how David’s face had softened thanks to Krypto.

He shrugged and stood up, brushing his jeans off. “Not really, the three of us would be awful with him. He’d be more spoiled than when Spot has him and with Jack’s inability to stay organized there would be paint all over the apartment. And Albert has been getting him trained to be a therapy dog. He would never listen if we were responsible for training him.”

Sarah nodded and rose to her feet too. Davey had a point, he and his roommates were some of the most outspoken, determined, and fearless people she had met. Especially when it really mattered. When it came to the people they cared about though they were all such pushovers. She knew this from years of experience getting Davey to cover for her breaking curfew and lying to their parents even though it ate him up inside. Krypto would’ve walked all over them with his cute little paint covered paws and they’d be out their security deposit.

Kath started shepherding them into the dog park, Krypto half walking himself with his leash in his mouth as he trotted ahead. Sarah giggled and took a short video and posted it to her story on snapchat. Once they were past the second gate Katherine bent and unclipped the leash from Krypto’s Superman collar, letting him free to run and play with a German Shepard and Dalmatian that their entire friend group knew he was dog park besties with. The boys got a little overzealous with the snapchats when at the dog park. Not that anyone minded.

Davey had started up a conversation with the Dalmatian’s owner, a young redheaded woman who by now knew all of Krypto’s motley crew of college kids. She had been the one to suggest to Finch and Albert about training him to be a therapy dog the first time they came to the park.

Kath tapped Sarah on the arm and passed the other girl her phone. She peered down at the picture of her and her brother, crouched down and laughing at the puppy in-between them. She smiled and passed it back to Kath. “That’s adorable. You sure you wanna be a writer and not a photographer?”

“A good reporter boasts a variety of skills,” Kath teased. “’Sides, who says that I can’t be both Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen?”

Sarah shot her a deadpan look. “You’re not allowed to hang out with Finch and Albert anymore. They’re corrupting you.”

“I’ve joked about being Lois since before they named the dog Krypto!” Kath laughed. “And Romeo is worse,” she said primly.

“Oh I know. He’s been calling me Wonder Girl for years now,” Sarah sighed, sitting on the bench next to Davey and Kath sat on the other side. They watched Krypto run around in silence for a little while until Katherine spoke again.

“Why exactly does he call you Wonder Girl? Like I get me being called Lois despite the red hair but you don’t exactly look like either of them and I don’t know enough to tell if you act like them,” Katherine’s brow wrinkled as she studied Sarah.

The other girl raised an eyebrow at her. “The fact that you know there’s two is the point I was trying to make earlier,” Sarah stated flatly.

Kath shoved her shoulder and laughed. “Blame the boys!”

“Oh, I do.”

Katherine rolled her eyes and in a fit of juvenileness she stuck her tongue out at Sarah.

“And I asked him once. Supposedly I do kinda act like the one? I don’t know how true that is and I couldn’t tell you which one. The main thing though is that I’m the girl always in the middle of the boys’ adventures,” Sarah rolled her eyes.

“Well I’m offended?” Kath turned to watch Krypto try and jump over one of the tunnels, only for his too big paws to slip on the plastic and send him tumbling over. He jumped back up and shook himself back off before running after the German Shepard.

“To be fair, with your busy schedule and how strict your dad can be you only come on about half of the adventures,” Sarah pointed out.

Kath nodded and sighed. “Not that I envy you for putting up with them all the time. You really do have superpowers.”

They both laughed at that and Davey shot them a weird look, only causing them to laugh more. Especially when Krypto bounded over to them and jumped up to lick their faces.

**Author's Note:**

> Like I said, first fic in this fandom so please be kind if anything seems off.


End file.
